Disclaimer: You recognise it? Then it is JK Rowling's.

Through the Furnace

Chapter Four. Under the Trap Door

Harry waited alone in the silence for a while. Then rolled over onto his side and glanced at the opening of the tent. Through the crack he could see all sorts of medieval people walking past. It would have been intriguing to just sit and watch but as Harry needed to escape he could not watch this form of entertainment.

There was nothing for it. He straightened and swaggered to the opening of the tent confidently and strode out.

Escape was easy. No one was taking any notice of him. Harry continued to walk with his chin up and with slow determined steps. As long as he didn't look to be in a hurry or nervous he figured the people around him would not bother him in any way.

Soon enough Harry found himself wandering out of the encampment into another forest. He stood briefly on the edge wondering if entering a medieval forest by oneself was a good idea. Furthermore he realised that the evil git Salazar still had his wand. It was too late to go back and get it. He could just imagine striding up to old snake tongue, 'excuse me could I please have my wand so that I may escape your clutches?' Harry guffawed at the thought and then shrugged his shoulders.

He would rather face the forest than the snake founder any day.

Harry was well aware that he was once again being foolish. The founders were wizards and witches. Renowned wizards and witches in fact. They could help him get back to his time. But Harry was also aware of the biting feeling of anger and fear. Godric Gryffindor hadn't exactly ended up what he had expected him to be like. All he wanted to do was to separate himself from the founders and go home.

Oh yes, home undoubtedly meant a lecture of Remus Lupin, then Tonks, maybe Mad Eye-Moody and last all the dreaded Molly Weasley. After the shock and pain of the interrogation however Harry would rather a million Molly lectures over facing Godric Gryffindor once again.

Harry was mildly surprised to find that he had been wandering quite a while when he had been thinking about going home. He was surrounded on all sides by gigantic tall trees and had no idea in which direction he was walking or indeed where he intended to go or what to do when he got there.

Harry shivered despite being quite warm. In the back of his mind he started berating himself for his lack of common sense. He had a feeling he was in immense trouble once more.

Harry picked a random direction however and walked that way. After all he would eventually get somewhere.

Harry felt like he had walked forever and a day before the trees started to become thinner in density, indicating the forest should be coming to an end. He trudged on with his head cast down muttering under his breath of all his woes. When he repeated the list for the twenty fourth time his head snapped up.

A small village was not far away. Dusk was approaching quickly and Harry's stomach was complaining rather loudly. He realised he hadn't eaten anything since the night of being transported to this era.

The thought of food was a remarkable incentive for Harry to continue down into the village. Something to drink that wasn't a potion would be incredibly nice too…

Harry was almost jogging towards the village. All sorts of food ideas were rushing to his head. As he reached the fringes of the village however the stark truth revealed itself.

Food required money. And Harry had a little money but not medieval muggle money. Other than that he had nothing. Not even his wand to transfigure his coins into something that resembled muggle money. Harry didn't even know what medieval coins would look like. Harry supposed he could try and beg like he had seen in books. But in their right minds would feed a scruffy teenaged wizard from the future?

Glumly Harry found a small stone wall and sat down. He rested his weary head on his elbows and listened to the faint sounds of the nearby inn.

As far as he could see there really were only two more options for him. To scrounge for food, as sickening as that idea was, Harry considered it. Sirius had survived near Hogsmeade by living off rats… Or to steal. The last option was dangerous. Even though Harry knew that if he stole food he would more likely find something more appetising than scrounging around for scraps, he knew he could get into a lot of trouble.

So Harry followed the sounds of the nearby inn careful to stay in the shadows. He skulked around the back and was disappointed to find the scraps were mixed with mud and… Harry swallowed the bile in his throat and walked dejectedly away.

It was getting darker now and Harry knew he should find somewhere quickly to spend the night. The forest was out of the question. Who knew what type of wild animals were nearby? In the end he decided to sneak into an open barn and sleep high in the hayloft.

Very carefully and slowly Harry climbed the ladder leading up to the second level of the loft. He hoped fervently there was nothing nasty hiding in the hey before lying flat on his back and drifting off to sleep.

'

'

Ron Weasley was lounging in bed ignoring the noises around the bustle of Grimmauld Place. It was much too early for him to get out of bed. That was until he heard the unmistakable alarmed cry of. "He's gone! Harry's gone!"

It was the perfect alarm clock. Ron bolted out of bed and darted from the room. He galloped down the stairs three at a time only to see Remus Lupin and his father talking adamantly. The two adult wizards glanced at Ron in speculation.

"Ron do you know where Harry has gone?" Mr. Weasley looked particularly stern.

"Nooo," Ron murmured in worry he could hear his voice quaver. "What's happened?"

Remus Lupin shifted uneasily and rubbed his chin in thought. "Harry's gone. He left some time last night and has not returned."

Ron paled. "You don't think You-Know-Who has kidnapped him?"

Remus shook his head. "We have no evidence of foul play. It looks like Harry left on his own accord."

"Yeah and he nicked my cloak," Fred Weasley muttered entering the discussion from the top of the stairs. He held up a pair of shoes which Ron immediately recognised as Harry's. "And ironically forgot his shoes."

"There's only one place Harry would disappear to," George continued for his twin.

"It's simple really…"

"Godric's Hollow," the twins announced at the same time.

"It makes sense he would want to be alone…" George added.

Remus' eyes flashed dangerously. "Foolish boy! I was to take him today!" The werewolf round on Mr. Weasley. "I'll go check out Godric's Hollow, be ready to convene a meeting with the Order."

'

'

Harry woke up tired, hungry, annoyed and itchy. Overall it wasn't he best way for him to wake up and was not the best night's sleep he had ever had. Groaning he rolled over in the straw. He came face to face with a particularly angry looking farmer whose purple face could rival Uncle Vernon's.

"What's this?" the farmer spluttered. Harry jerked awake and sat up back pedalling back into the straw. "What's this?"

"I - I – I…." Harry stammered.

"Ruining all me good straw… ye impedient pup…" the farmer reached over and grabbed Harry's ankle and dragged him over. "I should flog ye alive I should."

"I needed somewhere safe to stay," Harry stammered once more.

"Sa ye picked me hey loft to make a cosy little nest, did ye?"

"I… I'm sorry… I…"

The farmer ran an appraising look over Harry. "Ye be one of those magic users ye be."

Harry shook his head wordlessly. He knew how much trouble admitting he was a wizard to a muggle would cause. "No… I…"

"Ye have that funny look, yes sir re. Ye have the look."

Harry blinked in befuddlement. "I'm not a wizard," he protested weakly.

The farmer snorted and grabbed Harry's wrists. For a moment Harry was unsure what was so interesting on his left wrist and then it hit him like a thunder storm. He was wearing a watch. The watch was ripped off by the farmer…

The purple faced farmer picked Harry up by the scruff of his neck and pushed him none to gently down the ladder. Harry would have bolted as soon as his feet touched the ground but the older man had grabbed a large fistful of his hair and jerked his head around.

Harry was led across the farm yard with the farmer tugging viciously on his hair. They soon entered a brink building Harry thought would serve as another storage barn. Casks and barrels lined the wall. Harry was marched past all his and suddenly they stopped.

Glancing down in trepidation Harry saw that he was standing by a trap door made from stone. The farmer grasped the metal ring and forced the stone up.

"Down there with ye!" the farmer hissed.

Harry had no choice to oblige. And found himself standing on wooden ladder.

"I'll be sending a priest to examine ye after I show him this evil artefact of the devils," the farmer leered dangling Harry's watch in front of his nose. "Ye'll be sure to burn, boy."

The stone slid back in place and Harry was submerged in darkness. He heard scrapping overhead. Knowing it was useless Harry pressed his palms to the trap door. Besides it being too heavy the farmer had evidently placed something on top of the door.

Very slowly Harry stepped down the ladder and groped in the dark for somewhere safe to sit.

"Great. So now I'm going to be burned at the stake," Harry ground out loudly. His voice echoed about him. "Just ruddy brilliant."